Senate Republican Leader Anthony M. Bucco has raised concerns about the recent state budget, criticizing Democratic lawmakers in Trenton for diverting over $500 million from programs intended to help underprivileged residents. According to Bucco, these funds were instead allocated to what he described as “unjustified pork projects” benefiting politically connected individuals.
“Democrats who claim to stand for the poor and vulnerable had no problem gutting critical funding for programs that exist to help them, all to bankroll over $500 million in backroom pork spending,” said Sen. Bucco. “More than 400 pet projects were stuffed into the budget with little public explanation and late shoddy disclosure. A budget process full of partisan indulgence and gluttony (“PIG”) with hundreds of millions in unjustified pork projects for politically connected insiders took precedent over programs that feed the hungry, support seniors, and help struggling families.”
He further stated, “This isn’t just hypocrisy, it’s a betrayal of the very people Democrats claim to fight for. The impact of these cruel cuts is already being felt by families across New Jersey.”
Bucco listed several specific areas affected by the budget changes. He noted that more than $100 million originally meant for affordable housing initiatives through organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and veteran groups was diverted, resulting in a loss of 100 affordable homes in his district alone. Funding reductions also impacted NJ SHARES—a program assisting those at risk of homelessness with utility bills—as well as community nonprofits supporting people with disabilities.
The senator highlighted additional consequences including underfunded child-care programs leading to enrollment freezes and reduced resources for opioid addiction treatment.
“The real cost of all this excessive pork will result in more people without housing, more people having their utilities shut off, more disabled people not having a safe place to work, fewer children in appropriate childcare settings, and more people with opioid addiction left untreated. This is not the New Jersey our residents need and deserve. It’s not too late, Trenton Democrats can reverse course and immediately freeze the pork projects and allow the funds to flow back to these much-needed programs,” Bucco concluded.
